Friday, December 25, 2009

I am full of love this Christmas morning for my Jesus! Today is all about Him and celebrating his birth. I'm super duper excited for Jonah to wake up even if he does interrupt my mad blog updating I'm doing right now! I can't wait to see him open his presents! I gave him one last night, some little slippers to wear with his new jammmies, and it was adorable to watch him carry around the torn paper and little box. I took some photos and plan to take a MILLION more today so photos to come of my sweet little love of my life. I posted the below video on my Facebook page and thought I would share it with you as well. I just love this song, it makes me remember what today is really about. Happy Birthday Jesus and Merry Christmas to you all!!!

I am contemplating changing the name of my business.... In 2010, I have plans to totally re-vamp my business and to "brand" it as you pros are calling it. I would LOVE to use a Dove theme because Jonah means dove in Hebrew. My friend Paul had a suggestion of "One Dove Photography." It's kinda catchy, but I just like using my name because I feel like it's better advertisement. We also both came up with J Dove Photography, which I also really like! What do you think? Any suggestions? Leave me a comment please! I will be emailing everyone in my address book if I do decide for sure to change the name and will also be posting a post on this blog. After that, I will be re-naming the blog too so be sure to stay tuned to my blog if you want to continue to follow me.

Thanks to all of you for your support! I have been so very blessed to have the clients that I've had and I know future clients will be just as amazing!

Tuesday, December 8, 2009

So, there are some exciting things coming from CJP! What I am most excited about is that hopefully in the very near future I will be upgrading my camera, lens, and computer!!!! (insert mental picture of me jumping up and down) Also, I will be taking a 5 week course starting January 20th (Thanks Mom for the birthday gift)for people who love photography and want to take better pictures which you can learn more about by clicking here. I am beyond excited, I feel like things are going to start moving in the right direction for me and this so-called "business." Yippee!! I really haven't taken the time to learn even the basics, I just kind of depend on my passion for photography and my natural "talent" to assist me, but I've been wanting to do more for a while now. Also, Sharon Clark of Smitten Photography did some family photos for us Nov. 3oth and they are AMAZING! Click here to see our post on her blog! I hope to be as incredible as she is some day! Hope everyone is doing lovely!

Sunday, November 22, 2009

Baby Bradley turned 6 months old November 1st! My-Oh-My how time flies! After some scheduling conflicts we finally got to meet up last Sunday to capture him in all of his scrumptiousness. We had a TON of fun and I was particularly amazed at how interactive Bradley already is and how little he minded that we were changing his clothes and moving him all around so much. I think the leaves helped his mood a lot because he LOVED them! By the end of our session, he was pooped and fell fast asleep.

Amie, thank you for being patient with me this past week, I'm sorry this sneak peak is so long overdue! If only we could add a few hours to each day! Thanks a million for also for allowing me the privilege to photograph you and your sweet blessing, it's very encouraging to me that you continue to "use" me to capture Bradley's growth. I thoroughly enjoy our time together at each meeting.

Monday, October 12, 2009

i got my camera back today from canon. it's in one piece, which i was quite nervous about and seems to be working fine. yippee! i dropped my brother's nikon off this afternoon and now i'm back in the game my 'lil canon baby! i want a new camera, but it will come with time. for now, i'll continue shooting with my rebel. :o) happy monday all!

Tuesday, October 6, 2009

I met Angie almost 3 years ago when I started at Wachovia after Isaac and I had moved here. She is such a sweetheart and I definitely consider her to be a friend. She has a country accent like I do and we hit it off from the first day we met. I always ask her to be my "NC Mom" since my Mom is still in TN and she always agrees! When she asked me to photograph her daughter, Brittany, for her senior pictures I was so excited! I had met Brittany once before and had seen various pictures of her that Angie has adorned her desk with and always thought she was simply beautiful. Angie has also told me stories about Brittany and how hilarious she is! We all had a great time capturing these photographs and laughed A LOT! Thanks Brittany for being gorgeous and adorable all at the same time! You were a joy to photograph and made my job so easy! Angie- thank you for obsessing over each strand of Brittany's hair and making sure each one was in the right place. As you said, it paid off! I hope you both are super excited about these and the rest.....

Hello, Gorgeous

Oh, and don't worry, the pictures won't be blurry from the disc like the way they look on here!

Sunday, September 13, 2009

i am so frustrated. like really frustrated. first of all, for the past few weeks i have been feeling like a failure with photography. i am so passionate about it and i l-o-v-e doing it, but i want to be MUCH BETTER but i don't know how. do i need better lenses? do i need more practice? do i need training? do i need time? i think i could answer yes to all of these.... no i know i can. but how? or when? uggghhhhh. why is there not enough time, or money?

second, i have one blog follower. my loyal sister and friend Christy. i know other people look at it, they have to! it's been mentioned to me before. so people, help a sista out and click "follow" to follow me. it will give a huge boost of self confidence.

third, and most frightening, something is wrong with my camera. i am getting an error message (err 99 to be exact), which i have somewhat researched, that tells me to either turn my camera off and on again or take out the battery and put it back in. wtfrench? it started at the beach, where i shouldn't have even taken the durn thing. but then again, if i hadn't i wouldn't have gotten the gorgeous photos of jonah and me courtesy of my lovely friend, angela.

so, now that i've complained long enough, i am going to try to figure out this error message thing i am getting and maybe start a fan club on facebook. i feel like i need to step up my game. ;) happy sunday everyone!

Thursday, August 13, 2009

Remember baby Bradley in all his preciousness (if not click here)? Look at him now! He is already 3 months old and is just the sweetest thing. We had so much fun at Belmont Abbey College this past Monday, even though it was so stinkin HOT! Bradley was very cooperative with the outfit changes, constant moving him around, and heat. He is a perfect little model! Mom Amie was great as well. We had a great time together and I am already looking forward to Bradley's 6 month shoot! Amie and Bobby- I am so happy God has blessed you with such a perfect little angel, and I'm so glad I have had the privilege to photograph him! I hope you love these as much as you loved his newborn pictures!

Thursday, July 30, 2009

Sunday I had a wonderful time with this fun, laid back, family of three. Justine is graduating this year and Charlene wanted me to capture some family photos of this very special time. Justine was home schooled and is going to be a famous costume designer some day! This family was so much fun and I hope they had as great of a time as I did during our time together. Their house is tucked away in TONS of trees, beautiful landscaping, gorgeous scenery and GORGEOUS stone work that Brad did himself. He owns his own business called Stone Edge Surfacing while Charlene owns a spa in Charlotte called The Porch Swing Spa. WOW- both parents being business owners, can you say inspiration for me? Yes! This family is so creative, I'm a little intimidated to show them my creative side that's been hiding in me for 26 years! Guys, I hope you love these as much as I do! Good luck to you all and especially you, Justine, I know you're going to be a success Girl!

That's Brad's cap and gown she's wearing!

We were cracking up at how hilarious the cat was! He wanted to be in EVERY shot!!

Justine wrote a song for her parents 25th wedding anniversary, can you sense the talent in this family?

Gorgeous family, wrapped in God's sun, sitting on something made with love by Dad- Love it!!

Friday, July 10, 2009

stay tuned for some exciting stuff! i have been craving a session and have one coming up at the end of this month. it feels like forever since i've been behind my camera with new faces in front of it and i'm really looking forward to it! the fam and i are going to topsail island in the morning and won't be back until tuesday afternoon. the laptop is going too, however, it's for isaac's school work only so you will probably see no sign of me online for the next few days. i am praying that this beach trip will renew my soul and energize my body. i have been in SERIOUS need of a vacation for a while! i am also taking a new book, "the shack," and i am super duper excited about reading it on the beach. i am hoping at some point i get the opportunity to do this while isaac is inside doing school work and jonah is napping. is that bad? i need some me time. badly. i am also hoping to reconnect with my hubs and enjoy some qt with him. not to mention JONAH'S FIRST TRIP TO THE BEACH....can you say exciting? wow. i can't wait to see his face. :o) Yippee, can't wait for the am. salty air. sand. sun. aaaahhhhhhhh........ below is a few picture from our trip to topsail last year. i was 6 months pregnant and we were making pictures to put in jonah's nautical nursery. the one of isaac and me together was taken with the ol' self timer. all of these were taken with my old kodak point and shoot digital. still love that camera.